Apparatus and method for storing and reproducing high-resolution video images

ABSTRACT

High-resolution color and monochrome video images are recorded on and reproduced from a record medium. Red, green and blue signal components are recorded as respective monochrome-like signals in separate tracks, and since a chrominance component of the video signal is not recorded in each track, the bandwidth of the recorded video signal may exceed the bandwidth of a video signal that normally is stored on the record medium. The high-resolution color video signal is reproduced by reproducing three frames which contain the red, green and blue signal components, respectively, and by supplying these signal components as a single high-resolution color image. A high-resolution monochrome video signal is stored by sampling the monochrome video signal at a given clock signal to produce a first sampled signal and by sampling the monochrome video signal at an inverse clock signal to produce a second sampled signal which are recorded as separate monochrome frames. Upon reproduction, two frames corresponding to the two sampled signals are reproduced and combined in accordance with the clock and inverse clock signals to produce a high-resolution monochrome video image.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a laser disk video imagerecording/reproducing device and, more particularly, to apparatus andmethod for storing and reproducing high-resolution video images to andfrom a record medium.

Still and motion video images may be stored on a variety of recordmedia, including magnetic tapes, magnetic-type diskettes, e.g., floppyand hard diskettes, optical disks, magneto-optical compact disks(CD-MOs), etc. The type of record medium utilized generally depends onthe needs of the user, for example, video images are generally stored inanalog form on a magnetic tape medium when real timerecording/reproducing of motion video is desired and low to mediumquality reproductions of the stored video signals are acceptable. On theother hand, still and motion video images commonly are digitally storedon a magnetic tape medium or a magnetic disk when it is desired toreproduce and supply accurate copies of the stored video images.

Video tape recorders (VTRs) store a video image on a single track eitheras a composite video signal (in standard VTRs) or as an S-video signal(in S-VTRs). Typically, a composite video signal having a bandwidth of 3MHz and an S-video signal having a bandwidth of 4 MHz may be stored on amagnetic tape by conventional, commercially available video taperecorders. Digital video tape recorders (DVTRs) digitize and compressthe video signal prior to recording and generally store each compressedimage on several tracks on a magnetic tape. Video images may also bestored as digital signals on magnetic disks and compact disks or may bestored as analog signals on optical disks.

One important application of video image storage and retrieval is thearchiving, i.e., permanent storage, of still and/or motion video images,which is especially important in the fields of medicine, publishing,etc. The storage of high-resolution video images is necessary in certainapplications, for example, archiving pathology microscope images.Present high-resolution cameras produce video signals having bandwidthsgreater than 7 MHz; and the produced high-resolution video images mayhave a resolution in excess of 700 horizontal lines.

One difficulty encountered in current video image storage and retrievaldevices is the general inability to store a substantial number of highresolution video images on a record medium. As discussed above, "S"video tape recorders are capable of recording video signals having abandwidth of 4 MHz onto a magnetic tape; and laser disk recorders arecapable of recording color video signals having a bandwidth of 4.5 MHz.Other devices that digitally record video signals reduce the amount ofinformation in the video signal at least by half since those portions ofthe signal which are not sampled, at any clock rate, are not recorded.Presently available digital systems generally compress video images toincrease the recording capacity of a magnetic tape medium, however, thecompressed video images generally are not high-resolution images with a7 MHz bandwidth.

Digital systems using a hard drive are known to store and retrieve datato and from a hard disk in a random-access type manner. However, harddrives generally are incapable of storing a substantial number ofhigh-resolution video images on a single hard disk due to the limitedstorage capacity of such disks. For example, an uncompressed color videoimage which has a 768 by 490 pixel resolution requires 1,128,960 bytesof storage (one byte for each red, green and blue value), thus resultingin 22,579,200,000 bytes (more than 22 gigabytes) of storage for 20,000images. A 51/4 inch MO drive (CD-MO) may record approximately 1200images on a compact disk having a storage capacity of 640megabytes/side.

Another difficulty encountered in commercially available video imagestorage and retrieval devices is their general inability to reproduce ahigh resolution video image quickly. Typically, magnetic-type harddrives require at least several seconds, at best, to retrieve ahigh-resolution video image.

A further difficulty encountered in current video image storage andretrieval devices is their general inability to store a substantialnumber of high resolution monochrome (black and white) video images on arecord medium. Similar to the storage of high-resolution color videoimages, the above-discussed devices generally are unable to store asubstantial number, e.g., 20,000, of high-resolution, e.g., 10 MHzbandwidth, monochrome video images on a record medium.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatusand method for storing and reproducing high-resolution video imageswhich overcome the shortcomings of the above described devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus andmethod for storing and reproducing a substantial number ofhigh-resolution video images to and from a single record medium.

A further object of the present invention is to store video images thathave a bandwidth that exceeds the bandwidth of images generally storedon a record medium.

An additional object of this invention is to quickly reproducehigh-resolution video images from a record medium.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the present inventionwill become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, andthe novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, apparatusand method are provided for storing a high-resolution color video signal(e.g., having at least 700 lines of horizontal resolution) on a recordmedium (e.g, a write-once laser disk) having areas for storing frames ofthe color video signal. The apparatus and method operate to receive acolor video signal having red, green and blue signal components (e.g.,from three CCD (charge coupled device) pickups), and to record (e.g., asseparate individual frames) the red, green and blue signal components ofthe color video signal in respective different areas of the recordmedium.

As one aspect of the present invention, the red, green and blue signalcomponents of the color video signal are recorded on the record mediumin a monochrome mode.

As another aspect of this invention, a frame of a color video signal isrecorded with a bandwidth that exceeds the bandwidth of a color videosignal normally recorded on the record medium.

As yet a further aspect of this invention, 20,000 color video imageseach having at least 700 horizontal lines of resolution may be recordedon a single record medium.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,apparatus and method for reproducing a high-resolution color videosignal (e.g., having at least 700 lines of horizontal resolution) from arecord medium operate to reproduce red, green and blue signal componentsof the color video signal from separate areas of the record medium, andsupply the reproduced red, green and blue signal components as one frameof a high-resolution color video image with a bandwidth that exceeds thebandwidth of a signal normally stored on the record medium.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention,apparatus and method for storing a high-resolution monochrome videosignal (e.g., having at least a 7 MHz bandwidth) on a record medium(e.g., a write-once laser-disk) operate to sample the monochrome videosignal at each pulse of a given clock signal to produce a first sampledvideo signal and at each pulse of an inverse of that clock signal toproduce a second sampled video signal, and to record the first andsecond sampled video signals in respective different areas of the recordmedium.

In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention,apparatus and method for reproducing a monochrome video signal from arecord medium operate to reproduce first and second signal components ofthe monochrome video signal from separate areas of the record medium insynchronism with a given clock signal and the inverse of that clocksignal, the reproduced first and second signal components being combinedto produce a high-resolution monochrome video signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description, given by way of example and notintended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will best beappreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals denote like elements and parts, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the bandwidth of a recorded color video signal;

FIG. 2 illustrates the bandwidth of a recorded monochrome video signal;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for storing and reproducinghigh-resolution color video images in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the data format of a record medium inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for storing and reproducinghigh-resolution monochrome video images in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 are signal diagrams useful in understanding the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The signal composition of a color video signal generally consists of aluminance component that contains the image brightness information and achrominance component or components that transmit the two colorparameters, hue and saturation or color purity. Commercially availableanalog video recorders, e.g., analog video tape recorders (VTRs) andanalog laser disk recorders, generally have recording bandwidths of 7MHz of which the luminance component occupies approximately a 4.5 MHzbandwidth and the remainder is reserved for the chrominance component(i.e., color) and the audio signals. FIG. 1 schematically illustratesthe bandwidth of a video signal representing a single color image storedby an analog video recorder. Several types of analog video recordersalso are capable of recording higher-resolution monochrome signals byutilizing for the monochrome signal the bandwidth generally reserved forthe chrominance component. As shown schematically in FIG. 2, amonochrome video signal having a luminance component with a bandwidth of6.7 MHz may be recorded.

When high-resolution color video signals, e.g., 7.0 MHz bandwidth, arerecorded as composite or S-video signals, each video frame is recordedat a reduced bandwidth due to the presence of the chrominance component.In accordance with the present invention, if the video signal containedonly a luminance component, e.g., a black and white signal, therecording bandwidth could be expanded.

Standard RGB video signals consist of a red-primary signal that containsred color information, a green-primary signal that contains green colorinformation, and a blue-primary signal that contains blue colorinformation. These three primary signals are, in essence, threeluminance signals in which each individual color signal carries theluminance information pertaining to its respective color. The maindifference between the three primary color signals, red, green and blue,and a true 5 luminance signal is RGB "luminance" levels range from 0 to0.7 volts and true monochrome luminance levels range from 0 to 1 volt.Therefore, and in accordance with the present invention, if the threeprimary signals of the color video signal are recorded as three separatemonochrome-like signals in three separate image areas, a color videoimage having a greater bandwidth may be recorded on a record medium(further described below).

Referring now to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of apparatus for storing,reproducing and displaying high-resolution color video images inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. As shown, theapparatus is comprised of a video camera 10, a first video switch 12, avideo recorder 14, a second video switch 16, a three frame storagedevice 18, and a high-resolution video monitor 20.

Video camera 10 is a high resolution camera that delivershigh-resolution video images and generally includes a camera head 10awhich has three charge coupled devices (CCDs) that produce red, greenand blue primary output signals, respectively, from an image focused onthe camera and a camera control unit 10b which performs signalprocessing on the primary output signals, which may include imageenhancement, color correction, gamma correction, synchronization (sync)adding, encoding, etc. An exemplary high-resolution video camera whichmay be utilized in the present invention is Sony's DXC-760MD 3-chip CCDcolor video camera whose three CCDs each are capable of producing animage signal whose bandwidth is 7 MHz and whose resolution is 560horizontal lines of resolution. The green CCD is generally offset by 1/2pixel to produce a perceived resolution in the green image signal of 750horizontal lines.

It is appreciated that other video sources other than video cameras maybe utilized with the present invention, for example, a digital recorderor other device which supplies high-resolution video signals known inthe art. However, for purposes of describing the present invention, thehigh-resolution video signals are produced and supplied by video camera10.

High resolution video cameras encode the image signals produced therebyby converting the three primary signals into composite NTSC, PAL, orSECAM signals. However, and in accordance with the present invention,video camera 10 supplies the three primary signals as three separatesignals to video switch 12. In addition, video camera 10 adds the usualhorizontal and vertical synchronizing signals to each of the threeprimary signals to produce "RGB sync on all" signals and supplies syncsignals to video recorder 14 for synchronization purposes duringrecording of the video signals (to be described). Alternatively, thethree primary signals may be supplied to a sync adder device (not shown)which adds the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals to eachcolor signal. Video camera 10 continues to supply the three primarysignals that represent a single image (i.e., frame) to video switch 12until all three primary signals are recorded by video recorder 14 (to bedescribed).

Video switch 12 is a three-state selectable switch that is switchablebetween one of three conditions which correspond to the red, green andblue primary signals supplied from video camera 10. Video switch 12transmits the selected (switched) primary signal to video recorder 14.Video switch 12 may be a manually controlled switch in which an operatormanually selects the input signal (R, G or B) to be supplied to theswitch's output or an automatically controlled switch which selects theinput signal in response to a control signal (not shown) supplied by,for example, a controller (not shown). In accordance with the presentinvention, video switch 12 supplies the red primary signal to videorecorder 14 until the red primary signal is recorded, then supplies thegreen primary signal to video recorder 14 until the green primary signalis recorded, and then supplies the blue primary signal to video recorder14 until the blue primary signal is recorded. That is, the supply of aprimary signal to video recorder 14 is not interrupted while thatprimary signal is being recorded (of course, the recorder may includeone or more buffers to store temporarily the primary signal supplied byswitch 12). However, the three primary signals may be supplied in anypredetermined order, and further, video switch 12 may be any knownswitch capable of supplying one of three input video signals to videorecorder 14.

In one embodiment, video recorder 14 is a standard analog video recorderwhich records each video image in analog form on a record medium. Aspreviously stated, video recorder 14 records the red primary signal as a"red monochrome" signal, which corresponds to a single "red" image, in asingle track on the record medium. Similarly, the green and blue primarysignals are recorded as "green monochrome" and "blue monochrome"signals, respectively, in separate tracks on the record medium. Videorecorder 14 is operable to record video signals in a color mode and in amonochrome mode: luminance and chrominance signals (and perhaps audiosignals) are stored on each track in the color mode and a luminancesignal with an expanded bandwidth (and perhaps audio signals) is stored(without a chrominance signal) on each track in the monochrome mode. Inaccordance with the present invention, video recorder 14 records thethree primary signals of the high-resolution color image in themonochrome mode and utilizes the sync signals supplied from video camera10 to synchronize the recording of each signal supplied. Alternatively,video switch 12 may utilize the sync signals added to each primarysignal for synchronizing purposes. Generally, a signal which has a 6.7MHz bandwidth may be stored in each track on the record medium in themonochrome mode.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, video recorder 14 isa write-once laser disk recorder which records video signals on anoptical disk. Generally, recording is accomplished in a laser diskrecorder by projecting a laser beam onto the recording surface of anoptical disk thus heating the exposed area to cause a phase change inthe recording layer, thereby increasing the reflectivity of the heatedarea. Currently, laser disk recorders can record as many as 87,000 NTSCuncompressed images on a single optical disk (43,500 images per side).In accordance with the present invention, each primary signal (RGB) of ahigh-resolution color image is stored as a separate image which resultsin a high-resolution color image being stored in three tracks on theoptical disk. When each track on the disk is, for example, a concentriccircle, the red, green and blue primary signals are stored in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 4. As shown, the red primary signal is recorded onthe outermost track of the three tracks, the green primary signal isrecorded on the middle track, and the blue primary signal is recorded onthe innermost track of the three tracks. However, this format isillustrative of only one recording format, and the three primary signalsmay be stored in any order on adjacent or non-adjacent tracks on therecord medium.

The laser disk recorder may record as many as 29,000 uncompressedhigh-resolution color images on a single optical disk (14,500 images perside). Since images are not substantially compressed prior to such laserdisk recording, complex compression circuitry is not necessary, andthus, compression and decompression errors in the video signals areprevented. On the other hand, digital recorders generally requiredigital video signals to be compressed prior to recording so as torecord a greater number of images on a record medium, thereby increasingthe likelihood of errors in the reproduced video signals.

One exemplary laser disk recorder which may be utilized in the presentinvention is Sony's LVR-5000/LVS-5000 laser videodisc recorder, which isa write-once analog recorder and which records in each track of theoptical disk a luminance signal with a 4.5 MHz bandwidth when operatingin the color mode and a luminance signal with a 6.7 MHz bandwidth whenoperating in the monochrome mode. In the monochrome mode, an audiosignal and a video signal having 536 horizontal lines of resolution arerecorded on each track, or a video signal having 560 horizontal lines ofresolution (7.0 MHz bandwidth), without an audio signal, is recorded oneach track. As previously stated, since each primary (RGB) signal isrecorded as one monochrome frame, 29,000 uncompressed high-resolutioncolor images may be recorded on a single optical disk. A magnetic diskor a magneto-optical disk would require approximately 32 gigabytes ofrecording capacity to store 29,000 uncompressed high-resolution (e.g.,768 by 490 pixel resolution) digital images (768×490×3 (RGB)×29,000images).

Reproduction of high-resolution color images stored on a record mediumin accordance with the present invention will now be discussed withreference to FIG. 3. Video recorder 14, which includes a playbackcapability and, for the purpose of describing this playback capability,is referred to as a player, reproduces, one at a time, each of theprimary signals from the record medium, e.g., an optical disk, andsupplies the reproduced video signals to video switch 16. When player 14is a laser disk player, a typical maximum access time to reproduce avideo image is one second. That is, the amount of time for the player toperform a full stroke (e.g., to travel from the outermost track of thedisk to the innermost track) and to reproduce the three trackscontaining the respective red, green and blue primary signals is, atmost, one second. However, average reproduction times are approximately0.6 seconds. Other video reproduction devices, e.g., a hard drive, haveaccess times of at least several seconds to reproduce equivalenthigh-resolution video images.

Video switch 16 is a three-state selectable switch that supplies asignal supplied from player 14 to three frame storage device 18 whichstores the three reproduced primary signals corresponding to a singlehigh-resolution color image in respective different frame storage units18A, 18B and 18C. As shown, video switch 16 supplies a reproduced redprimary signal to frame storage unit 18A, supplies a reproduced greenprimary signal to frame storage unit 18B, and supplies a reproduced blueprimary signal to frame storage unit 18C. Similar to video switch 12,video switch 16 may be a manually controlled switch, in which anoperator manually selects the frame storage unit to which the reproducedsignal is supplied, or an automatically controlled switch, whichautomatically supplies the reproduced signal to a designated framestorage unit in response to a control signal (not shown) supplied by,for example, a computer (not shown).

Each of the three frame storage units 18A, 18B and 18C of storage device18 may include a frame capture circuit board, or the equivalent, whichis capable of "grabbing" a monochrome video signal having a resolutionof 560 horizontal lines (i.e., a 7 MHz bandwidth), which corresponds toa 768 by 490 pixel resolution. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, each frame storage unit 18A, 18B, 18C "mirrors" a respectiveCCD of video camera 10, that is, the frame storage units store containthe same primary signals as produced by video camera 10.

In addition, video camera 10 supplies a pixel clock signal to storagedevice 18 in order to synchronize the storage of the reproduced signalsin the respective frame storage units 18A, 18B, 18C. The three framestorage units 18A, 18B and 18C store the respective primary signalssupplied by video switch 16 in response to control signals (not shown)supplied by, for example, a computer (not shown).

Upon "grabbing" respective primary signals, the three frame storageunits of storage device 18 supply the stored primary signals to ahigh-resolution video monitor 20 which displays the high-resolutioncolor video image. One example of a high-resolution color video monitoris Sony's PVM-1353MD which is a medical video monitor capable ofdisplaying a color image having a resolution of 800 horizontal lines (10MHz bandwidth). Alternatively, a video signal converter (not shown) mayconvert the RGB signal (i.e., the three primary signals) to Y/C or acomposite signal before being supplied to video monitor 20.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for storing and reproducinghigh-resolution monochrome video images in accordance with anotherembodiment of present invention. Video recorder 14 is similar to that ofFIG. 3. As shown, the apparatus is comprised of a monochrome videocamera 30, a sampling circuit 32, a clock generating circuit 34, a videoswitch 36, video recorder 14, a second video switch 38, a two framestorage device 40, a recombining circuit 42 and a high-resolutionmonochrome video monitor 44.

Video camera 30 is a high resolution monochrome camera which delivershigh-resolution monochrome images having, for example, a 10 MHzbandwidth. Similar to video camera 10 shown in FIG. 3, video camera 30generally includes a camera head 30a that produces a monochrome outputsignal from an image focused on the camera and a camera control unit 30bwhich performs signal processing on the monochrome output signal, suchsignal processing being well known in the art.

Video camera 30 supplies the monochrome signal and a sync signal tosampling circuit 32 which performs two samplings of the monochromesignal (described below) at a rate indicated by clock signal CLK whichis produced and supplied from clock generating circuit 34. Clockgenerating circuit 34 generates clock signal CLK with a predeterminedclock rate, and may be any suitable device capable of producing theclock signal CLK. Alternatively, a computer (not shown), or equivalentcontrol system, may produce and supply clock signal CLK. Samplingcircuit 32 samples the monochrome signal at the supplied clock rate toproduce a first sampled signal S₁, and also samples the monochromesignal at CLK (the inverse, or complement, of CLK) to produce a secondsampled signal S₂. That is, the monochrome video signal is sampled ateach instant that clock signal CLK is, for example, high to producesignal S₁ and is sampled at each instant the inverse clock signal (CLK)is high to produce signal S₂. The clock signal wave forms areillustrated in FIG. 6. Clock generating circuit 34 may generate andsupply the inverse clock signal (CLK); and the clock and inverse clocksignals CLK and CLK also are supplied to recombining circuit 42.

Sampling circuit 32 supplies sampled signals S₁ and S₂ to video switch36. In addition, sampling circuit 32 may add the synchronizing signalsync to each sampled signal so that each signal "appears" to be a truemonochrome signal comprised of image information and synchronizinginformation. Video camera 30 continues to supply a frame of themonochrome signal to sampling circuit 32 until both sampled signals S₁and S₂ are recorded by video recorder 14, whereupon the video camerasupplies the next frame to the sampling circuit.

Video switch 36 is a two-state selectable switch that is switchablebetween one of two conditions in order to supply either sampled signalS₁ or sampled signal S₂ to video recorder 14. Similar to video switch 12(FIG. 3), video switch 36 may be a manually controlled switch or anautomatically controlled switch controlled by a control signal from, forexample, a computer (not shown). In accordance with this embodiment ofthe present invention, video switch 36 supplies the first sampled signalS₁ to video recorder 14 until it is recorded, and then supplies thesecond sampled signal S₂ to video recorder 14 to be recorded.

As previously described, video recorder 14 is an analog video recorderwhich records each video signal as a separate video frame on a recordmedium (e.g., an optical disk). Video recorder 14 records the firstsampled signal S₁ as a monochrome signal in a single track and recordsthe second sampled signal S₂ also as a monochrome signal in a differentsingle track on the record medium. Therefore, and in accordance with thepresent invention, a monochrome signal having a bandwidth of 14 MHz maybe recorded on the record medium since each sampled signal (7 MHz each)is recorded as a separate frame.

As previously discussed, a laser disk recorder may record as many as87,000 NTSC uncompressed images on a single optical disk (43,500 imagesper side). Therefore, a laser disk recorder, in accordance with thepresent invention, may record on a single optical disk as many as 43,500uncompressed high-resolution monochrome images which have a 14 MHzbandwidth (21,750 images per side).

During reproduction of high-resolution monochrome images stored on arecord medium, player 14 (as before, it is appreciated that recorder 14includes a playback capability, and to avoid confusion, the recorder isreferred to as a player when describing a reproduction operation)sequentially reproduces each of the two sampled signals corresponding toa single high-resolution monochrome image, and supplies the reproducedvideo signals to video switch 38. Video switch 38 is a two-stateselectable switch that supplies the reproduced signal to two framestorage device 40 which stores the reproduced first and second sampledsignals S₁ and S₂ in frame storage units 40A and 40B, respectively.Similar to video switch 32, video switch 40 may be manually orautomatically controlled.

Similar to frame storage units 18A, 18B, 18C (FIG. 3), frame storageunits 40A and 40B of storage device 40 may include frame capture circuitboards, or the equivalent, which are capable of "grabbing" a monochromevideo signal having a 7 MHz bandwidth. Video camera 30 supplies a pixelclock signal to storage device 40 to synchronize storage of thereproduced signals.

Upon "grabbing" the respective sampled signals, the two frame storageunits 40A and 40B supply the two sampled signals to recombining circuit42 which recombines the signals utilizing clock signals CLK and CLKsupplied from clock generating circuit 34 to produce the originalhigh-resolution monochrome video signal. Recombining circuit 42 suppliesthe recombined signal to a high-resolution monochrome video monitor 44which displays the high-resolution monochrome video image. Therefore,and in accordance with the present invention, a monochrome video signalhaving a bandwidth as high as 14 MHz may be recorded and subsequentlyreproduced and displayed on a high-resolution video monitor.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,monochrome video signals having a bandwidth exceeding 14 MHz may berecorded and reproduced by utilizing three or more frame grabber boardsand three-state (or more) type video switches.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described inconjunction with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be readilyappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changesand modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. For example, recording and reproduction ofhigh-resolution color and monochrome video signals have been described,however, the present invention is not limited to recording andreproducing video signals and may record and reproduce other types ofsignals, e.g., audio, which may be recorded and reproduced in accordancewith the present invention.

As another example, although the present discussion is directed to alaser disk recorder, the present invention is not limited solely to thistype of device and may be widely applied to other types of recordingdevices, e.g., magnetic recorders.

Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted asincluding the embodiments described herein, the alternatives mentionedabove, and all equivalents thereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for storing a high-resolution colorvideo signal on a record medium having areas for storing frames of saidcolor video signal, said apparatus comprising:three charge coupleddevices (CCD) for supplying red, green and blue signal components,respectively, of a color video signal; means for supplying the suppliedred, green and blue signal components of said color video signal atrespective different time intervals as an output signal selectivelyincluding one of said red, green and blue signal components of saidcolor video signal; and means for recording said output signalselectively including one of said red, green and blue signal componentsof said color video signal output at respectively different timeintervals by said means for supplying in respective different areas ofsaid record medium, each of said respective different areas beingcomprised of a color area for storing color information of one videoframe and a luminance area for storing luminance information of said onevideo frame such that said output signal selectively including one ofsaid red, green and blue signal components of said color video signal isrecorded in both said color and luminance areas in said respectivedifferent areas of said record medium.
 2. Th apparatus of claim 1,wherein said means for recording is operable to record as separateindividual frames each of said red, green and blue signal components ofsaid color video signal.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said meansfor recording is operable to record said color signal on an analogmonochrome-type record medium, each of said red, green and blue signalcomponents of said color video signal being recorded as separateindividual frames on said analog monochrome-type record medium.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for recording is operable torecord color video images in a color mode and is operable to recordmonochrome video images in a monochrome mode; said means for recordingoperating in said monochrome mode to record said red, green and bluesignal components of said color video signal in said respectivedifferent areas of said record medium.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein a storage capacity of each area of said record mediumcorresponds to a frame of a color video signal having a predeterminedbandwidth; and wherein said means for recording is operable to record insaid different areas a frame of a color video signal having a bandwidthexceeding said predetermined bandwidth.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said means for recording is operable to record a high-resolutioncolor video image having at least 700 lines of horizontal resolution. 7.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for recording is operableto record at least 20,000 color video images each having at least 700horizontal lines of resolution onto a single record medium.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for recording is operable torecord said red, green and blue signal components as respective analogsignals on an analog-type storage medium.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said record medium is a write-once laser-type disk.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for supplying is a switch forswitching between said three charge coupled devices to provide aselected one of said red, green and blue signal components to saidrecording means, said switch providing a first of said red, green andblue signal components until said recording means fully records saidfirst of said components on said record medium, said switch thenproviding a second of said red, green and blue signal components untilsaid recording means fully records said second of said components onsaid record medium, and said switch then providing a third of said red,green and blue signal components until said recording means fullyrecords said third of said components on said record medium. 11.Apparatus for reproducing a high-resolution color video signal from arecord medium, said color video signal having red, green and blue signalcomponents stored in separate respective areas of said record medium,each of said areas of said record medium storing a single frame of colorvideo signal, said apparatus comprising:means for reproducing a recordedsignal selectively including one of said red, green and blue signalcomponents of said color video signal at a respective different timeinterval from said separate respective areas of said record medium, eachof said separate respective areas being comprised of a color area forstoring color information of one video frame and a luminance area forstoring luminance information of said one video frame such that saidrecorded signal selectively including one of said red, green and bluesignal components of said color video signal has been recorded in bothsaid color and luminance areas in said separate respective areas of saidrecord medium; first, second and third frame capture means for storingand outputting the reproduced signal selectively including one of saidred, green and blue signal components, respectively, of said color videosignal; and means for supplying said red, green and blue signalcomponents output by said first, second and third frame capture means asone frame of a high-resolution color video signal.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein said means for reproducing is operable to reproduce asseparate frames each of said red, green and blue signal components ofsaid color video signal stored on said record medium.
 13. The apparatusof claim 11, wherein a storage capacity of each area of said recordmedium corresponds to a frame of a color video signal having apredetermined bandwidth; and wherein said means for supplying isoperable to supply from said separate areas a frame of a color videosignal having a bandwidth exceeding said predetermined bandwidth. 14.The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for supplying saidreproduced red, green and blue signal components of said color videosignal to said first, second and third frame capture means,respectively.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means forsupplying is a switch for switching between said first, second and thirdframe capture means to provide a reproduced signal to a selected one ofsaid first, second and third frame capture means, said switch providingthe reproduced signal to said first frame capture means when said redsignal component is being reproduced, providing the reproduced signal tosaid second frame capture means when said green signal component isbeing reproduced, and providing the reproduced signal to said thirdframe capture means when said blue signal component is being reproduced.16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for reproducing isoperable to reproduce a high-resolution color video image having atleast 700 lines of horizontal resolution.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein said means for reproducing is operable to reproduce at least20,000 color video images each having at least 700 horizontal lines ofresolution from a single record medium.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein said means for reproducing is operable to reproduce a colorvideo image having at least 700 horizontal lines of resolution stored onsaid record medium within one second.
 19. Method of storing ahigh-resolution color video signal on a record medium having areas forstoring frames of said color video signal, said method comprising thesteps of:receiving from three charge coupled devices (CCD) red, greenand blue signal components, respectively, of a color video signal;supplying the received red, green and blue signal components of saidcolor video signal at respective different time intervals as an outputsignal selectively including one of said red, green and blue signalcomponents of said color video signal; and recording said output signalselectively including one of said red, green and blue signal componentsof said color video signal output at respectively different timeintervals in respective different areas of said record medium, each ofsaid respective different areas being comprised of a color area forstoring color information of one video frame and a luminance area forstoring luminance information of said one video frame such that saidoutput signal selectively including one of said red, green and bluesignal components of said color video signal is recorded in both saidcolor and luminance areas in said respective different areas of saidrecord medium.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step ofrecording is carried out by recording as separate individual frames eachof said red, green and blue signal components of said color videosignal.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of supplying iscarried out by supplying a first of said red, green and blue signalcomponents until said first of said components is fully recorded on saidrecord medium, then supplying a second of said red, green and bluesignal components until said second of said components is fully recordedon said record medium, and then supplying a third of said red, green andblue signal components until said third of said components is fullyrecorded on said record medium.
 22. Method of reproducing ahigh-resolution color video signal from a record medium, said colorvideo signal having red, green and blue signal components stored inseparate respective areas of said record medium, each of said areas ofsaid record medium storing a single frame of color video signal, saidmethod comprising the steps of:reproducing a recorded signal selectivelyincluding one of said red, green and blue signal components of saidcolor video signal at a respective different time interval from saidseparate respective areas of said record medium, each of said separaterespective areas being comprised of a color area for storing colorinformation of one video frame and a luminance area for storingluminance information of said one video frame such that said recordedsignal selectively including one of said red, green and blue signalcomponents of said color video signal has been recorded in both saidcolor and luminance areas in said separate respective areas of saidrecord medium; storing the reproduced signal selectively including oneof said red, green and blue signal components of said color video signalin respective frame memories; and supplying the stored red, green andblue signal components as one frame of a high-resolution color videosignal.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein a storage capacity of eacharea of said record medium corresponds to a frame of a color videosignal having a predetermined bandwidth; and wherein said step ofsupplying supplies a frame of a color video signal having a bandwidthexceeding said predetermined bandwidth.
 24. The method of claim 22,wherein said step of storing is carried by storing the red, green andblue signal components of said color video signal in respective first,second and third frame memories; and said method further comprising thesteps of providing the reproduced signal to the first frame memory whensaid red signal component is being reproduced, providing the reproducedsignal to the second frame memory when said green signal component isbeing reproduced, and providing the reproduced signal to the third framememory when said blue signal component is being reproduced.